


Another Way

by scrunchieface14



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Gen, Zero Requiem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23693197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scrunchieface14/pseuds/scrunchieface14
Summary: If he could save his soul, he would move heaven and earth to do it. Requiem-era. No explicit pairing.
Relationships: C.C. & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Kouzuki Kallen & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Kururugi Suzaku & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia, Shirley Fenette & Lelouch Lamperouge | Lelouch vi Britannia
Kudos: 14





	Another Way

Lelouch vi Britannia, 99th emperor of the realm, gazes out on the vast court before him, empty save for three women. They stand around him in a semi-circle, one to his right, one to his left, and one directly before him as he sits on his throne, chin in hand, surveying them carefully, one by one. Although they look back at him, their expressions are vacant, their movements frozen.

His voice rings out, but it doesn't come from his mouth. He, like them, remains unmoved while the words echo in his mind.

_If you could, would you save my soul?_

The woman to his left comes to life, although the change is barely perceptible. She blinks slowly, and her long green hair sways behind her as she cocks her head ever so slightly at him.

"Is that really what you want?" asks C.C. "You've come this far, after all."

Lelouch holds up a hand and the witch is silent, frozen once more. He turns to his right, and the voice rings out again.

_If you could, would you save my soul?_

Kallen Kozuki flames to life, fists clenched, every muscle in her body trembling, but the look she gives him is colder than ice.

"Your soul is your own concern," she says harshly. "Don't look at me to absolve you of your sins!"

Again he raises his hand and Kallen subsides. He looks at the woman directly in front of him. Her bright red hair hangs over her lowered face.

_If you could, would you—_

"Oh Lulu!"

Shirley Fenette is running towards him before he can finish asking the question. She throws herself at his feet and wraps her arms around his knees.

"Of course I'll help you, Lulu," she cries, looking up at him through flowing tears. "I don't care what you've done; I'll stand by you and we'll fix it together!"

"Dear Shirley…" the voice comes from him this time, but as he bends a finger to lift her chin, she begins to fade away and his hand falls into his lap.

C.C. and Kallen are gone as well, and Lelouch leans back heavily, his head resting against the hard back of his throne. He closes his eyes and lets out a long breath, but it does nothing to alleviate the tension in his face as he struggles to remain expressionless. After all, the women may be gone, but he's never alone—

"Your Majesty."

Lelouch swallows hard and opens his eyes. His Knight stands before him, fist against his heart, head lowered in a bow—of deference or discretion, Lelouch can't be sure.

"Suzaku Kururugi," the emperor intones, "My faithful Knight of Zero."

Shirley is gone. She will never stand beside him again. Suzaku is all he has.

_I don't care what you've done; I'll stand by you and we'll fix it together!_

Shirley's words echo in his mind, but they take on a peculiar quality. A lower timbre, a deadlier tone. And Shirley's face seems to flicker in his mind's eye, fading as it had before, and replaced by a broader jawline and harder eyes.

_Everything you've done—it doesn't matter now. I'll stand beside you, and together we will remake the world._

"Your Majesty?"

Lelouch shakes his head and smiles. "Sorry, my mind was somewhere else for a moment."

Suzaku nods, and turns to leave.

_If you could, would you—_

"Kururugi."

Suzaku stops, and turns once more to face his emperor. Lelouch smiles again, but more wryly this time.

"Do you think that a soul like mine can be saved?"

Suzaku laughs, and for a moment Lelouch—taken by surprise—wonders if he thinks he's joking. A moment later, however, the knight regains his composure.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty; I wasn't expecting that question."

Lelouch's third smile is utterly devoid of any real humor. "So you do not think it's possible."

"On the contrary." Susaku's voice is deadly serious now. "Isn't that why we're doing all of this? Isn't that what the Zero Requiem is for?"

Lelouch lifts his gaze and stares into the darkness that shrouds the high vaults of the ceiling. Is that what this is about? Will it be enough? After everything, could this be all it takes to ransom what he sold so long ago?

"Is it?" he asks, still examining the shadows above. "I never thought of it that way. I don't suppose...that I ever thought it could be enough."

"Only you can know that for sure. Your soul is your own concern—"

Lelouch startles again, unnerved by the similarity of Suzaku's words to those he imagined in Kallen's mouth. He never expected absolution from Suzaku—not after Euphy—but he doesn't think he could bear the confirmation of that expectation. Not now.

"—But I don't know." Suzaku's voice grows gentler, almost...pleading. "One soul in exchange for the souls of the entire world? I'd like to think—well. It's got to be worth something."

Lelouch's heart starts beating inexplicably fast, and he looks down at Suzaku's softened face. He had never dared hope…. He always thought that the only reason his enemy had agreed to serve him…. Suzaku _wanted_ to kill him. Didn't he?

"Suzaku…"

"Your Majesty?"

Struck by his friend's refusal to reciprocate with more intimate address, Lelouch leans back in his seat and crosses one leg over the other, retreating once more into casual haughtiness.

"And what if there were another way?" He struggles to make the question sound disinterested, even playful.

Suzaku turns away. "There is no other way." His voice is hard and final. "The Zero Requiem is the only possible way to end this. The only way you can atone for your sins. You know that. So do I."

The Knight of Zero begins to leave, but he stops after only a couple of steps. His entire body is rigid, and Lelouch can see his right hand trembling in a tight fist.

"But if there was another way…" he begins softly, pauses, then turns to face the young emperor, eyes blazing, "Then Lelouch, I swear to you, I would move heaven and earth to make it happen."

Lelouch's breath catches in his throat, but he maintains a grasp on his aloof demeanor.

"Even after everything I've done?" he asks with what he hopes is convincing amusement.

Suzaku cocks an eyebrow. "If you hadn't done it, I wouldn't need to."

Lelouch bows his head and laughs. "You win again, Suzaku. You and Euphemia truly were a perfect match."

"Yes." Suzaku's voice grows colder. "And you're a fool to test me by speaking her name now."

"Perhaps," Lelouch muses. "But you're already going to kill me. What more can you do?"

Suzaku shakes his head roughly. "How can you say that so casually? Weren't you just pleading for your life a moment ago?"

"No," comes the reply, "Even I am rather surprised to find that I was not. You gave me exactly the answer I wanted."

"And what was that?"

"That there is no other way."

"You knew that already."

Lelouch laughs softly. "I suppose maybe I just needed a reminder."

**Author's Note:**

> Although I first watched Code Geass almost 3 years ago, rewatching it with my husband this spring has given me a lot more thoughts and feelings than I did back then. Mostly about Suzaku and Lelouch and how important their relationship is to understanding the entire story.


End file.
